


Carry On

by tomboy2012



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Child Abuse, Erik is a jerk here, Fix-It, Foster System, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Young Love, adoption fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-29 14:44:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3900148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomboy2012/pseuds/tomboy2012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been Laura's idea to take in a kid from the Mutant Foster Care System. What Clint wasn't expecting were two little shits instead of one - and they way that they'd worm their way into his heart, despite their differences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> So this is based on Somewhere in Brooklyn, quite possibly one of the best fanfics that I've ever read. The characters might be a little OOC, but THIS IS AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. Totally blaming on that.
> 
> Also, I basically took the Civil War storyline and molded it to my advantage. So.

Don't get Clint wrong. He loved his kids. He would give his life for them before letting anyone hurt them. The same went for his wife, without saying. But sometimes, she tried his patience.

"Darling," he says between teeth, leaning against the kitchen counter. "I thought you took our names off the list after..." 

He stares down at her round stomach, as if it's answer enough. And it is. They are totally not in the position to take a random child into their home, especially when they were expecting one of their own. Clint had taken time off of work (the Avengers were probably on a mission as they spoke) to be home with Laura in the kids, because he knew that they'd be outnumbered with three. 

But another one? No freaking way. 

"We made a commitment,  _honey,"_ Laura says, chopping up carrots for dinner. "It's not like we don't have enough room for another kid, and there are kids out there who need us, especially since the war ended. Do you know how many kids - mutant kids, in particular - who are displaced?" 

Clint resists the urge to roll his eyes. Laura's heart is so big, and it's one of the things that he loves about her - most of the time. 

"But are you sure that we want an unstable kid around here?" Clint asks. "They're probably emotional and freaked out -" 

"As they should be," Laura cut in. "They've experienced extreme trauma, probably."

"Right," Clint continues. "But what if that affects their powers somehow? What if they go after the kids?" 

Laura rolls her eyes, dumping the carrots into a pot. "We'll take care of it." 

"Laura," Clint says again. "I'm just not sure I'm so comfortable with the idea -" 

"Then you'd better get used to it pretty quickly," Laura said, glancing up at the clock. "Because they'll be here in a couple of hours." 

Clint's head snapped up. " _They?"_

* * *

Clint isn't sure what he's supposed to think. Thank God Lila and Cooper are still at school. He's not sure he wants them around these two brooding...young people. 

They stand outside on the porch. It's a nice day, by all accounts. The sun is shining, and there's a nice breeze blowing by. But no one says anything. The two kids stare at the ground, their fingers linked together. Then there was a stern-faced woman with brown hair wrapped in a tight bun standing next to the two of them. 

Laura's mouth was moving as she shook hands with the three of them - rather forcibly, Clint should add. If Laura was determined to make someone like her, there was no escaping her wrath. He almost feels bad for the kids. Then there's the fact that the taller one, the boy, looks like he bleached the top of his head. Clint feels sort of bad about that, too. 

"Clint!" 

Clint blinked out of his thoughts, staring at the pixie woman's outstretched hand. 

"I'm Maria Hill," the woman's voice rang out. "And this is Pietro and Wanda." 

Clint turned to look at the two kids, but their eyes remained firmly on the ground. Awesome. 

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Laura said, shuffling the tiny bunch into the house. They sit on the couch in the living room, Clint watching the twins through the window. They lean against the porch, staring at the police car that transported them here. There's still a cop sitting in the car, which gives Clint a small amount of comfort. 

It's small, but it's still there. 

* * *

"I must say that your house is very...homey," Maria says as she settles herself on the couch. "I grew up in a farmhouse, just like this. It brings back so many memories..." 

"That's the goal," Laura says, a natural smile on her face. "Living out here is mainly for our kids. We want them to grow up with great memories of their childhood." 

Clint says nothing, staring between the two women. It's times like these that he's eternally grateful for Laura. She can handle all of the small talk, all of the chit-chat that Clint doesn't care to pretend to listen to. 

"I just have a little bit of paperwork for the two of you," Maria muses, dropping two gigantic packets onto the coffee table. "It shouldn't take too long to go through." 

Even Laura's eyes widen. 

"Shouldn't we have a lawyer take a look at this?" Clint asks, voice soft.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary," Maria says with a wave of her hand. "It's just standard liability and insurance, the usual. It might seem like a lot, but you're really just signing your names on each page." 

Right, Clint muses. The usual. Like taking two mutant teenagers into his home was  _usual._

Thirty minutes later, Clint hands his packet back with sore hands. Good thing he doesn't have any arrows to fire any time soon.

"Excellent." Maria flips through the papers. "I usually give a bit of backstory after the paperwork."

Oh joy. If these kids were former drug dealers, they were going to be out on the street in a second. Clint didn't care what troubled backstory they had.

Laura sits up straight in her seat.Maria glances between the two of them before heaving a heavy sigh. 

"I suppose the first thing that you two should know is that Pietro and Wanda aren't  _new_ orphans," she says, making careful eye contact. "They didn't lose their parents in the war like most kids in the program. The twins were on the streets before everything went down." 

Clint can't help but cringe. 

"They won't tell us much, but we're guessing that they've been on the streets of Sokovia for most of their lives," she continues. "They're seventeen, almost eighteen, and have already been in several foster homes. I guess, uh, they haven't been so lucky. There were several, ah, incidents..." 

The social worker swallows. 

"With their first family...uh, we aren't entirely sure what happened," she says. "One of our social workers showed up, unannounced, for a meeting and found the twins barely clothed and badly bruised, shivering in the corner of the basement. The other homes...well, they ended up almost the same way."

Clint's mouth hardens as he glances out the window again. God. They're just kids. It doesn't matter what they might have done - you never treat kids like that. His fingers itch, itch for his bow. Laura's hand grips his. He meets her eyes, wide and bulging, and decides that these kids are welcome in his home. Until the baby comes.

"How the  _hell_ did that happen?" Laura snaps, a hand resting on her belly. "Don't you screen the people you put these kids with?"  _  
_

Maria clears her throat. "We do try our hardest, ma'am. But there are so many children without homes since the war, and not enough of us - or the families - to take care of them. It's no excuse, I know, but the fact of the matter is that Pietro and Wanda were returned to their former homes after the foster parents completed workshops." 

Laura looks like she's swallowing down all of the swears she wants to release, and Clint can't blame her. 

"We do try, though," Maria continues. "It just...it can grow very difficult, when there aren't enough resources. The Mutant Foster Program is still relatively new, and there are still so many bigoted opinions on mutants." 

"Well," Laura says, breaking the silence. "It's a good thing that they have us, now. We'll take care of them for as long as they need." 

She tosses Clint a look, daring him to protest. 

"Is there, by any chance, some family that they could stay with?" Clint asks, ignoring Laura's glare boring into the side of his head. Look, he wasn't heartless, really. He doesn't mind letting these kids stay with them for a while. But five kids? That's not something that's going to happen. He needs to know that they'll be gone before the baby. 

"There's an aunt somewhere in Russia, but she's recovering from a major surgery and isn't currently available," Maria says, flipping through a file. "So I can't exactly give you an exact date on when they'll be leaving." 

Laura smacks Clint's arm. "That's not what he meant."

"Also, I should let you two know of Pietro and Wanda's abilities," The social worker sighs, adjusting her glasses. "Pietro has increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis, as well as augmented speed. Wanda's thing is neuro-electric interfacing, telekinesis, and mental manipulation."

Clint stares blankly at her. 

"Basically, he's fast and she's weird," Maria says, looking up from the file. "They seems to have somewhat of a grip over their abilities, so that aspect shouldn't be too much trouble."

"We do have two young children in the house," Laura says, glancing at Clint a little. "So we need to make sure that they aren't dangerous."

"Just lay down the law with them, and things should be fine," Maria looks up at the two of them, eyes bouncing between them. "Now, are there any more questions that I can answer for the two of you?" 

Clint scratches the back of his head. He already knows that he's messed up a little too much today, and that he's probably going to pay for it tonight. But still. There are some things he needs to be sure of before this kids settle into his house. 

"What kind of kids are they?" Clint asks. "I mean...they'd have to be a little hard around the edges, if they grew up on the streets of some foreign country." 

Laura glares at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" 

God, he's definitely not getting laid tonight.

"No, that's definitely a normal question," Maria says, placing her pen on the coffee table. "I guess...the twins are very different. I've been working on their case for about a year now, and I still don't know much about them because they barely talk to anyone but each other. They honestly don't open up to anyone - not the teachers at their schools, other kids, foster parents, therapists..." 

Laura bites her lip, and Clint can tell what she's going to ask.

"Do you think...that it might have something to do with...what they've dealt with in the past?" 

She couldn't even say it. Clint squeezes her hand. 

Maria licks her lips. "There aren't any official notations on their files but...I'm guessing that there's a lot we don't know about." 

Laura glares down at the ground, blinking rapidly. God, Clint prays that she doesn't cry. Laura was never a big crier before she got pregnant, but now she can barely open the pickle jar without shedding a tear. These kids are probably going to be the source of many tears. 

"My advice?" Maria leans forward, like she's telling them a secret. "Let them adjust to a new environment and remind them that they're safe, but don't give them a free pass on rules. Make sure that they understand the rules of your house, and let them know that there could be punishments." 

She leans back, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

"Other than that, I'll leave you with my phone number so that you can reach me," Maria says, rising to her feet. "And I'll be making monthly visits until it's time for the kids to leave. From what I've seen, the twins are good kids. They're just a little quiet and withdrawn, which isn't unusual." 

Clint swallows, following his wife and the social worker back outside. Honestly, they'd signed up for this list months ago, after the war had ended. Clint was feeling guilty about all of the destruction that had occurred, and on top of that, they were having trouble getting pregnant the third time.

But this? He hadn't signed up for this.

Maria has her arms around the twins when he gets outside, whispering something in their ears. Despite the shitty circumstances, she actually seems to care about them.

So at least there's that.

"Remember that they have school on Monday," Maria commands. "They'll have to take the train into the city for now, but they'll be fine. Have a great afternoon."

"See you soon!" Laura calls after her.

It was just the first day. Just until the aunt in Russia got better. 

Clint prays that he can make it until then.


	2. The One With the First Dinner

"Why are they just sitting there like that?" 

"I don't know, sport. They've been like that ever since they got here."

"Do you think she'll play dolls with me?" 

"Maybe if you ask her, monkey." 

"Do they speak English?" 

Clint sighs, sending Laura a desperate look from across the room. He'd just barely finished putting the finishing touches on the two  _temporary_ bedrooms before being bombarded by his two children. As he scoops Lila into his arms, Laura places a pot of stew on the dinner table.

"Maybe you can ask them yourselves during dinner," Laura says, pushing Cooper toward the silverware drawer. "But we can't eat dinner until you set the table." 

Clint sets Lila down, sending her off to help set the table, before walking over to the couch. Pietro and Wanda are bent closely together, almost close enough for their heads to touching. As he nears them, they start to sit up. The only thing that doesn't change is their hands. They are still linked together. 

"I finished your rooms," Clint says, not really looking at them. "Come on." 

Silently, they rise to their feet and follow behind him. 

The bedrooms are two of the former guest rooms. To be specific, one was Natasha's old room, and the other was a regular guest room. Clint leans against the hallway wall as the two head into one of the bedrooms - Natasha's. 

"There are two," Clint reminds them. "One for each of you. So that you can have your privacy." 

The kids share a look, and Clint resists the urge to roll his eyes. Sure, they've probably been through a lot. But the silent treatment has been getting kind of irritating - especially since it seems like it'll be lasting for the rest of the day, if not longer. 

"If you don't mind," the girl says, her voice weighed down by a heavy accent. "We'd like to share the same room." 

Clint's eyebrows rise. "There's only one bed." 

Pietro shrugs. "That is fine." 

So he fixed up the second room for nothing. Awesome. 

He watches as Pietro sets the lone duffle bag on the bed, Wanda allowing her eyes to roam around the room."

"Is it alright?" Clint asks, arms folded. 

Wanda gives a quick nod. 

He shuffles toward the stairs. "Well, dinner will be downstairs. When you're ready."

* * *

"Maybe they're spies," Clint hisses into Laura's ear. "There's something creepy about the two of them. I know that I would've  _killed_ for my own room at that age." 

Laura scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You weren't a foreign mutant teenager, now were you?"

Cooper perks up. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?" 

Clint rolls his eyes, throwing a log on the fire. Even though it was warm enough outside, he knew that it would soon grow chillier. And with so many people in the house, he didn't need anyone catching a cold. 

"I say we just give them some space," Laura says, placing a bowl of salad on the table. "Just like we talked about. Right, guys?" 

" _Right,_ " Cooper and Lila sigh in unison. 

Clint bends down to their height, a michevious smile on his face. "Maybe if you're good enough, they'll watch The Incredibles with you guys."

The newest craze in the Barton household? Anything produced by Pixar Animation studios. 

The kids let out a cheer, but Laura smacks him with a dish towel. "It's important that we give the twins their space," she says, narrowing her eyes at them. "We wouldn't want to scare them away."

"Like Sarah's hamsters?" Lila asks, eyes bright. 

Clint snorts. "Something like that, monkey." 

"What's this I hear about hamsters?" 

Clint doesn't need to turn around to know who it is, but Laura still jumps a little bit. Even after years of Natasha's unannounced appearances. 

"Auntie Nat!" Lila shrieks, clamoring out of her seat to greet her favorite aunt. 

"Oh my god," Laura breathes, a hand on her heart. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it." 

Clint shrugs. "This tends to happen when you give someone a key to your house, babe." 

She smacks him. 

Nat bends down to Lila's level, wrapping her up in a hug. "Have you grown a foot since I last saw you?" 

Lila giggles. "Don't be silly, Aunt Nat." 

Nat glances up at the stairs. "And who are you two?" 

Pietro and Wanda stand on the staircase, frozen in place. 

"Nat, this is Wanda and Pietro, our foster kids," Laura says, clearing her throat. "They're going to be staying with us for a while. Guys, this is Nat. One of Clint's bestest friends in the entire world." 

"I'm also _your_ best friend," Natasha points out as she looks the twins over.  If Clint's not mistaken, the teens seem to be arguing without words, but with body language - which one gets to stand in front of the other? 

Laura scoffs. "That's definitely true." 

Cooper clears his throat. "Can we have dinner now?"

* * *

"Lila," Laura presses gently. "You have to finish your dinner before you get ice cream." 

Lila pouts down at her bowl, and Clint watches as Natasha fights a smile. He's missed fighting beside her ever since he took his "vacation." It's nice to have her back around the house, around the kids, again. 

"Wanda and Pietro aren't eating  _their_ dinner," she pouts, strands of hair bouncing against her bowl. 

"That's not the point..." Laura starts, voice trails off as she stares at the twins. Clint turns to look, and it's true. The angsty teens actually haven't touched their food. At all. 

At the newfound attention, two sets of eyes dart up.

"Wanda? Pietro?" Laura says, looking between the two of them. "Is there anything wrong with your food?" 

The twins share a glance.

"Well?" Clint presses. There was no way that Laura went out of her way to make dinner for two extra people just for them to stare into their bowls. 

"It isn't kosher," Wanda says, her voice almost as loud as a whisper. 

The room is silent for a moment. And then -

"Not that you're not right, but...why would you know that?" Natasha asks. 

"You didn't hear?" Cooper asks. "Wanda can read minds!" 

"It's a joy," Clint mumbles. Laura kicks his leg underneath the table. 

"I didn't know that you two were Jewish," Laura says, a frown etched on her face. "I wish that you would've said something. Maybe I could've planned a little bit better..."

"No," Pietro interrupts, surprising even Clint. "It was not your fault. We did not say anything." 

"I wish that you would," Laura says, placing a hand on his arm. "We don't know how long you're going to be here, but I don't want you to be suffering in silence the entire time. I hope that you tell me whenever something's bothering you."

Clint's not sure if she caught it, but he notices the way that the kid flinches. Like Laura was reaching out to do something else. Pietro nods, not meeting her eyes. 

Damn. If he wasn't already falling in love with Laura, this was going to be like pulling teeth.

The twins share another look, and this time, Natasha narrows her eyes. 

"May we be excused?" Wanda asks. Clint notices that the two both bounce their legs when they're sitting - Wanda's left and Pietro's right. 

Laura bites her lip, casting a quick glance at Clint. 

"Sure," Clint says. "Have a good night." 

Wanda nods at him as she rises from the table, Pietro following behind her with full plates in his hands. There's a tinkering in the kitchen before the pair vanish up the stairs. 

"At least they have manners," Nat points out, smirking at Clint.  He rolls her eyes, kicking her shins under the table. 

Lila stares between the adults sitting at the table, eyes wide. 

"What does kosher mean?"  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I suck at writing accents. But the twins definitely have them in this fic! Also, they're both really quite right now, but they won't be when they start getting comfortable...


	3. The One With the First Day of School and the Boyyyyyy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to the Farmer's Market as a big happy family (*insert snicker here*) and the twins have their first day of school.

As odd as it may sound, the Farmer's Market is one of Clint's favorite places. There are swingsets and cornfields that the kids could run around and play with, along with other kids who gathered at the stands each weekend. There were all sorts of farms that showed up, in the middle of nowhere, to sell their wares. 

But it's odd now. Especially since Laura insisted that they bring the twins. 

"Do you think we should tell them about the baby?" Laura asks as she totes along their straw basket. The kids have already run ahead, playing with their other friends. 

"Are you sure they haven't guessed by now?" Clint asks, glancing down at her stomach. It's not like she's about to pop, but still. The pregnancy is noticeable, just a little bit. 

She elbows his side. "I'm serious. Maybe saying it out loud is important to gaining their trust." 

The twins walk ahead of them by just a few feet, examining the fruits at one of the stands. Their mouths are moving, but Clint can't read what's on their lips. Probably words from a different language.

"They probably won't be staying long," Clint says, examining some carrots. "It's not like we _really_  need to gain all that much of their trust." 

" _Clint,_ _"_ Laura snaps. "Can you cut it out?"

The twins actually jump, in unison.

She lowers her voice. "I know that you aren't so into this, but I'm actually interested in making progress with the two of them."

Clint folds his arms. "That's not fair-" 

"I think that we're doing pretty well so far," Laura continues. "They actually agreed to come out here with us, with their voices and everything. That's a far cry from the kids who would barely even speak to us last week." 

"And I'm not saying that's not great, babe," Clint says, plucking some carrots in her basket. "But I think that reminding them about the baby might just freak them out a little bit more, don't you think?" 

"Why don't we talk to them about it if they stay until Thanksgiving?" 

Clint watches as Wanda stares intently at an apple, the fruit moving through the air as a red mist appears around it. God. He thought that kids in general were weird, but he didn't even know what  _weird_ was until he watched the twins use their powers. 

"Clint?" 

He snaps out of his thoughts, turning back to Laura. "Deal." 

"Mrs. Barton?" 

Wanda walks up to the couple, Pietro trailing behind her. 

"Can we get these?" Wanda asks, holding up a bag of yellow apples. 

"Of course we can," Laura says, flashing a bright smile. "Just pick up whatever you think looks good, guys. I've already looked up some Sokovian meals, so hopefully, things will be a little more familiar at the dinner table this week." 

Pietro actually flashes a grin at her before speeding off to join his sister at the next booth. 

Clint fixes Laura with a glare. " _Anything that looks good?"_

"What?" Laura asks with a shrug. "It's not like we're strapped for money." 

He wants to tell her that it's not the point, but she does make sense. Even with the time he's taking off of work, between his pension, their savings, and the farm, they really don't have to worry about money at all. 

"And did you see that smile from Pietro?" Laura asks, walking down the lane. "That wasn't one of those awkward smiles he gives around the house. It looked  _real_ , and it was just because I told him he could get apples. Coop and Lila have apples for lunch everyday. I mean, the twins are still just  _kids._ "

Shit. Clint is sure that what he hears are tears inching into Laura's voice. 

"No, baby, you're right," he says, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You're totally right. They're just kids, and they deserve as Cooper and Lila. I'll eat Sokovian meals for the rest of the month if it makes you happy, babe." 

Laura sniffles, walking up to the checkout stand. "You promise?" 

"Totally," Clint says, glancing back at the kids. "Come on, guys! We're getting ready to leave!"

His actual kids coming running for him, Lila pausing to tug at Wanda's hand. No many how many times they try to explain personal space to her, she still can't help herself. He guesses she's like her mother in that way. 

Laura strikes up conversation with the girl at the counter as Clint loads their purchases into bags. He glances up for a moment to see Wanda eying a boy with a bag of corn standing on the other line. And she she's just looking at him. She was  _eying_ him. Like, completely undressing this boy with her eyes. Even Pietro seems to notice, jabbing Wanda with his elbow and wiggling his eyebrows at her. 

Oh, Wanda. Maybe she's more normal than Clint thought. 

"Oh," The cashier says, following Wanda's eye of sight. "Someone has a little crush on Vision, huh?" 

She blushes, hurrying off of the line. Pietro narrows his eyes at the cashier, following behind his sister. 

"They aren't big talkers, huh?" The cashier asks, turning back to Laura.

She gives a small smile. "You don't even know the half of it."  

* * *

 

"Wanda?" 

The girl turns around, glancing back at Clint. She doesn't say anything in response, though - Clint's learning that it's just how the girl rolls. 

"Are you sure that there isn't anything else you want us to check out?" He asks, wiggling his eyebrows as he glances over at Vision. In Clint's opinion, he's a pretty nerdy looking kid with thick framed glasses and curly black hair. He figures he's a bit out of the loop, seeing as he hasn't dated a teenage boy in a long while. 

Wanda lets out a groan, stomping away. 

"There is a reason why we like your wife better," Pietro says, his heavy accent weighing his words down. 

Clint rolls his eyes. " _Please_. Everyone likes Laura better."

* * *

 

"Do you think that they're both straight?"

Laura whacks him with the bag of apples. They're out in the barn, decorating it for Cooper's Halloween party later that evening. With all four kids out of the house, there was more than enough time to get it done - but that didn't mean Clint _wanted_ his hideout to be transformed into a kiddy corner. His kids, he liked. Other kids? Not so much. 

The deal was that he could throw the party if he raised his grades on his report card - something Clint didn't actually think would happen. Needless to say, he doubted his son, and now he's stringing plastic spiders up on the wall of his barn. 

"There's no reason whatsoever for the two of us to be forcing judgement on them," Laura says, forcibly tossing apples into a wooden tub. "If they feel comfortable with us, they'll tell us how they feel. I doubt that'll  _ever_ happen if we keep trying to guess who they are." 

Clint rolls his eyes. Of course, his wife is right (as usual.) But still. Could she be wrong about something for once? 

"Even if that  _is_ true," he starts. "Aren't you a little bit curious? They barely talk to anyone but each other. They're holed up in their room all of the time. We don't know anything about them." 

Laura scoffs. "Just because they aren't speaking doesn't mean that we aren't making progress with them. They spend time with Coop and Lila, and actually stick out most of dinner instead of vanishing to their room. Doesn't that count for something?" 

"I mean, I wasn't actually going to  _tease_ them about it," Clint says, tossing cobwebs on the ground. He remembers the horrible four years of high school, where he didn't fit in with anyone (and not just because he was the kid obsessed with bows and arrows.) The rest of the student body definitely noticed when he broke up with his girlfriend and started dating a kid on the football team - not matter how much he tried to hide it.

He remembers his father's reaction - and Barney's.

"God," Clint says, shaking his head. "You know I'd never do something like that. I was just wondering."

Laura turns, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I know. But I'm just reminding you not to bring it up in front of them."

He often wonders how Laura is like this - almost perfect. Even the things that she isn't good at, like singing and mucking out stables, seem perfect when she messes them up. And the way that she's handling these foster kids isn't any different. 

Sometimes, Clint just needs to stop and admire his wife. 

"Stop fawning over me." Laura smirks, snatching the cobwebs out of Clint's hands. "And finish your son's haunted mansion." 

"Is  _that_ what this is supposed to be? I thought it was an abandoned party store." 

"You are such a little..." Laura's voice trails off as she glances outside the barn. "Hey, you two. How was your first day?" 

Right. The twins get out earlier because they're in high school. It's going to take Clint a little more time to remember that. He'll have to remember to keep an eye out for the two of them - who don't look overly pleased with their high school experience as a whole. Wanda's cheeks are both a little redder than usual, while Pietro looks like an actual tomato. His sister's eyes are glassy, and focused on the ground as she waves in Laura's direction. 

Clint notices the scuff marks on Pietro's Adidas sneakers - the ones that he snapped at Cooper for touching (he remembers this moment well, because he almost had to kick the teen's ass afterward)- and knows that something went down.

Laura glances at Clint, and it's obvious that she can tell.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Laura asks, voice cautious.

Pietro looks like he's going to say something, but Wanda rests her hand on his arm.

"We have a project," she says slowly, staring at her brother as if willing him to remember. "And we have to work on it. Before it is due." 

Clint nods. "Right. A project." 

"Well, let us know if you need anything," Laura says, plastering a smile onto her face. 

In that moment, Clint hates the twins, just a little bit. Because he knows that they're the reason for the tears in his wife's eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY.   
> I know that I haven't been around in forever, and I want to blame it on depression and school and just general laziness. Also, I feel like the characters are a little OOC and I'm so sorry for that. And I'm trying to give the twins accents without *actually* writing accents, if you know what I mean. I think that their English would be different than that of the "average" American. 
> 
> OKAY. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME. AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED.


	4. The One With Halloween, Cell Phones, and the Big Ass Problem

The thing about going into town is that people stare. Deep down, Clint knows that it's partially to be expected - they're way out in the country, and it isn't like there's actually much to  _do_ in a small town. But that doesn't mean that he has to enjoy the stares he gets while walking along the sidewalk with the twins trailing behind him.

(It's probably because of Pietro. Pietro and that stupid patch of bleached hair atop his head. He says it's always been that way, but why the hell should Clint believe him?)

"Where are we going?" Wanda finally asks, after about ten minutes of giving her brother those freaky  _looks_ they often shared. "We have not been this far before." 

"I thought you'd never ask." Clint glances back at her. "We're going to get cell phones for the two of you." 

The change in expression is almost instantaneous. 

"We do not need cell phones," Pietro says, refusing to make eye contact. He shoves his hands into his pockets, casting a glance at Wanda. Are they talking behind Clint's back? Twin telepathy? His brother Barney used to tease him about the mind reading shit all of the time, just to scare him, but being around the twins makes him believe that it really does exist. At least for the two of them. 

"Aw, come on," Clint stops, turning to face the kids. "That's not true. You can call each other. And, uh, me and Laura. We need to be able to get in touch with you." 

He swears, Laura should be the only one allowed to talk to these two. Even when they reach the store, the twins migrate toward the corner furthest from him, and he can't say that he minds. It's like being back in high school, all the awkwardness and sweaty palms, being around those kids. Cooper and Lila are different, though it's not something he can explain. Being around them just  _happens_. The twins...

"Um, yeah, I'll have to add another line to the family plan," Clint says, reaching around in the pockets of his jeans for his wallet. "And two new phones, two. Uh, whichever the newest iPhones are, I guess." 

The kid at the counter stares at him for a moment.

Clint stares back. "What?" 

"You do not have to get us cell phones, Mr. Barton." Wanda's voice comes from right behind him, and he resists the urge to jump. No wonder why the kid was staring at him. The twins can look somewhat threatening, with their perpetually blank stares and the dark bags under their eyes. (Do they even sleep? Clint isn't sure, and isn't prepared to miss an entire night of rest just to see.)

"Who cares if I don't have to?" Clint says, handing over his credit card. "I want to. Or, Laura wants to. Either way, no kids living in our house will be rocking any prepaid Walmart shit. That's not how the Bartons roll." 

Pietro glances at Clint's baggy jeans and flannel shirt, but doesn't say anything else. But as they're walking out of the store, he sees the smile that spreads across Wanda's face as she clicks around the tiny little screen. It's enough to make Clint lag behind a little, so that he can try to scrunch alongside them on the sidewalk. Pietro says something in Russian, and Wanda actually laughs out loud. The only acknowledgment he gets is a small nod of thanks from Wanda, but he doesn't care much.

It's educational, to say the least. That is, until Clint ruins it, like he ruins _everything_. They're in the pickup, Clint at the wheel and the twins in the backseat.

"Um, so I've been meaning to ask the two of you about something," he says, looking at the two of them through the mirror. "Laura was pretty worried when you came home from school the first day of school, looking pretty upset." 

Another one of their looks. 

"And...the other day, Cooper told me he saw some kids picking on you," he continues, eyes bouncing between the long dirt road and the rearview mirror. "Do you two have anything you want to tell me?" 

Wanda glances at Pietro again, but his jaw is locked, eyes glued to his sneakers. Clint notices their interlocked hands. 

"It is nothing," Pietro finally says, voice low. "You do not need to worry. It will not happen again." 

Clint pulled the car into the driveway, putting it into park. He finally turned back. 

"Kid, I'm not angry," he says, because he's not sure what else he  _can_ say. "I just want to know what's going on." 

"Nothing is going on." That's Wanda this time, almost like she's trying to put an end to the conversation. The hand that isn't holding Pietro's reaches for her seatbelt, but Clint swears to God, if she tries to open the door, he'll put the child lock on. 

"Come _on_ ," Clint smacks his hand against his seat. "Cut the bullshit. We all know that something happened. Laura saw you the day Coop spoke to me - we both did. Your cheeks were red. Were you crying? Did someone hit you? Tell me what's wrong." 

Wanda shakes her head. "You do not understand. It isn't like that -" 

"Come on, Wanda. I've seen this sort of stuff," he says. Would bringing out the running away to the circus stories help or hurt him in this situation? "I can tell when this sort of shit is going on. If you just tell me about it, I can make it stop." 

The door slams, and Clint blinks. Pietro has already jumped out, stomping up the steps to the front door. In high definition speed. Oh, no. That little shit was  _not_ running away in the middle of Clint's heart to heart speech. He knows that he should've put the child lock on while he had the chance.

"Wait here," Clint says, climbing out of the front seat. Wanda ignores him, following him up the steps. Pietro must've forgot his keys, because he's banging on the door like there's no tomorrow. 

"What the hell, kid? I'm trying to talk to you about something serious, and you just leave?" 

Okay, maybe he was expecting an eye roll. Something melodramatic. But Clint isn't expecting Pietro to  _whirl_ on him., 

"Would you just  _stop,_ you old man?" Pietro practically screams. "Can you just fucking drop this whole act?" 

"What  _act?"_ Clint fires back. "Kid-" 

Wanda tries to press a hand on Pietro's shoulder, but he shrugs her off. 

"This act that you care about us, that you're trying to be our  _father,_ " Pietro seethes. "We already have one, and he is shitty enough as it is. We definitely do not need another one, or even  _want_ one. So why don't you just stop pretending that we're here for any other reason besides the checks that you get from the state every month?" 

Clint stares at the kid, his jaw slack. He's not even sure what to say. The door opens, and Laura walks out. Great, the best time for his wife to come and see him. Not earlier, when he was spending time with the kids and they were acting like normal kids. No, she had to see the trainwreck that this afternoon had become. 

"Look, kid," he starts, but Pietro just shakes his head.

Wanda is rubbing her eyes, already puffy and red, and her brother pushes into the house. He can't help but feel that he ruined everything with a few stupid questions. Jesus, all Clint wanted to do was  _help_. He knows firsthand how much it can fucking  _suck_ to be the punching bag of the school. What was he supposed to do? Just let the kids keep dealing with it? 

But now it's ruined. The kids are probably going to retreat even more, maybe locking themselves away and refusing to ever leave the house. 

"Wanda," Clint says, trying to take a step forward. "You know that I was just -"

Wanda holds a hand up, the other wrapped around her waist. "Please, just do not. Maybe...maybe it would be better if we..." She shakes her head, like she's decided against something. "It does not matter. We will probably move to a different home by the end of the month."

Instead of saying anything, he just stares at Laura. She bites her lip, but doesn't say anything else. 

* * *

"I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't have left them alone today."

Laura and Clint stood inches outside of Tony's door, the suave mansion shining with orange pumpkins and skeletons. Clint would bet money that Pepper, Tony's girlfriend, was the one responsible for the decorations. Tony couldn't be bothered to care about anything besides his robotics business. Oh, that and himself. 

"If they're going to be angry, they'll be angry, Laura," Clint says, ringing the doorbell again. "We coulda stayed home, but they would've stayed in their room the entire time. Coop and Lila are better off trick or treating with their pals, and the twins are better off brooding in their room. Besides, I don't miss Stark's Christmas parties for anything." 

"Pietro and Wanda aren't just anything, Clint," Laura says, voice soft. "I really worry about them sometimes." 

Clint opens his mouth to say something, but it's at that moment that the door finally swings open. 

"Oh look," Tony calls over his shoulder. "The Bartons are here, and actually  _aren't_ fucking on my front doorstep." 

"Our front doorstep!" Pepper calls. 

"Shut up, Stark," Laura says, a smile on her face. "What are you supposed to be, anyway? A hipster?" 

Tony pouts, opening the door a little wider. "A zombie vampire, for your information." 

"It doesn't look  _that_ bad," Bruce offers. He sits on one of the designer couches, sipping from a beer bottle. "It could just..."

"Actually look like a costume," Bucky scoffs, breaking into loud laughter. Clint guesses that he's already pretty drunk, judging by how long he laughs (for like five freaking minutes.) Steve looks at him like he's the sun, and Clint is pretty sure he'll puke if he stares at them for any longer. 

It takes an hour or two for the party to actually become entertaining. Most of the guests are people Clint knows either through Tony or from his time in the army. Steve, Sam, and Natasha are old friends from his time as a Navy Seal, but Natasha is the only one who still does some of the same work (it's just a pain to try to get anything out of her. Scratch that. Clint isn't sure that he wants to know, half of the time.)

He feeds Nat tequila shots and watches Thor, this Scandinavian beast of a man, try to twerk. Pepper is dressed like Annie the Orphan, he thinks, and he realizes that he and Tony don't match at all. He also realizes that it's nice, to party around with his friends in the city after months of holing out in the middle of nowhere. Don't get him wrong - he loves his farm, and his life. But every once in awhile, everyone needs a break. 

"Seriously, you guys need more black friends," T'Challa, one of Tony's science buddies, says. "I would bet serious money that this wouldn't be such a mess if there were more brothers around here." 

Sam laughs so hard he almost chokes. 

* * *

"I can't even believe that the dick tossed us out," Clint laughs, clambering up the steps to the house with his arms around Laura. "Like Steve and Bucky haven't been caught in his bed a few times." 

Laura rolls her eyes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess there can only be one straight couple allowed in his bed." 

Clint pauses, spinning Laura so that she faces him.

"Have I ever told you how much I'm in love with you?" 

She scoffs. "I might've heard that one before."  

Clint presses a kiss to her neck. "The night is still young. We should christen the new tractor." 

"You are  _such_ a freak," Laura laughs, turning to the door. "We can do whatever,  _after_ we check on the kids. Coop and Lila will probably stay up all night on a sugar high if we don't interfere." 

Clint shivers at the thought as Laura unlocks the door. They stumble into the house together, trying to keep their giggles down to a minimum.

"Mommy!" Lila comes zooming down the hall, almost cracking her head on the railing. "I thought you'd never come home!"

Laura bends down, tucking a hair behind Lila's ear. "Aw, baby. I'll always come back. I was only gone for a little while." 

"How was trick or treating?" Clint asks, trying to maintain the appearance of a totally not smashed father. Lila still has her tutu on, pink puffs in her hair. "Did you get lots of candy?" 

Cooper appears behind her. "Mom, I think there's something wrong with Wanda and Pietro." 

Laura glances back at Clint for a brief second. "What do you mean?" 

Clint starts moving toward their room, his feet moving faster as he moves. When he opens the door, he finds that the twins are most definitely not sleeping. 

Wanda lays on the bed, hair dangling, holding what looks like a bong to her lips. However, it's Pietro who freezes. He's straddling a random guy, his shirt off and the jean zipper open. The guy, however, only has a pair of briefs on. Even though he's laying down, his face freezes when he sees Clint in the doorway. His hands drop from Pietro's hips. 

Pietro stares in horror. Wanda blinks, almost sluggishly. 

Clint can hear Laura herding the kids into another room, but he doesn't say anything. He doesn't even say anything when Laura stands beside him. 

"Ummmm..." she starts. Clint takes over.

"What the  _fucking_ _fuck?"_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahahahahaha, I'm back from the dead. I can't even say anything important about how long I was gone. However, I saw a lot of your lovely messages, and I just want to thank you guys so much. They were seriously awesome. I have a lot of these chapters pre-outlined, so I'm hoping that I can get them written this week.
> 
> I can't remember if I spoke about this or not, but I've been dealing with depression a lot this year. So. Yeah. That's sort of why I'm not very consistent. But anyway, this isn't supposed to be sad (because the chapter already was.) Thanks for reading!
> 
> Have a great holiday, everyone!


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